First things first... machine guns!
It turns out that North Korea is closely monitoring global developments. They draw conclusions and implement projects based on them. And now, the Kang Kon—one of two Choe Hyon-class warships built to date, the very same one that was launched so unsuccessfully—has delighted the North Korean leader.
The demonstration was peculiar: after the leader was shown rocket weapon ship, "Kang Kong" fired a broadside... from machine guns!
Yes, despite the strike missile systems and complexes Defense, a ship can simply plow the sea, firing a salvo from its many guns. You know, the first thing that came to mind when I saw a photo of the ship was: "Oh, they watched Midway too!"
Not machine guns, 20mm Oerlikons, but still quite in keeping with the times.
Kang Kon fires machine guns during a demonstration.
North Korean state media claim the ship, which was damaged in a failed launch attempt last year, will be operational within the next two months. Correction efforts have been carried out at communist speed.
A little more detail about the ship. Or rather, about the ships. The lead ship in the series, the Choi Hyun, is already in service, the second ship in question, the Kang Kong, is on its way, and two more are under construction.
In terms of classification, things are a bit odd. North Korea calls them destroyers, but claims their displacement is around 5000 tons. Internationally, surface combatants with this displacement are more often classified as frigates, while destroyers are generally larger. The benchmark, the Arleigh Burke, is closer to 9000 tons full-load.
On the other hand, the Chinese call their Project 055 ships destroyers, but the rest of the world considers them cruisers, since the full displacement of these ships is 13,000 tons, which puts them on par with the American Ticonderoga cruisers and the Soviet Atlantes.
Kim Jong-un watched the Kang Kong's demonstration, accompanied by a full press team that captured the moment in meticulous detail. During the event, the ship launched 12 "strategic" cruise missiles—the very same ones capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The ship's crew then fired a 127mm cannon and demonstrated the use of the Close-In Weapons System (CIWS), equipped with a 30mm Gatling-type multi-barrel cannon. Electronic warfare system tests and an assessment of target detection and information processing capabilities were also conducted.
And there were also machine guns.
The photographs clearly show at least 12 KPV-series machine guns firing on the ship's port side. These include eight machine guns in four twin remote-controlled mounts. Three more KPVs are visible on single mounts, protruding from ports on the left side of the main superstructure and manually operated by sailors. Another firing position is located closer to the stern, but it is unclear whether it contains one or two machine guns.
The KPV is a Soviet-designed heavy machine gun designed by Vladimirov in the 40s, firing 14,5×114mm rounds. Although its design was developed at the end of World War II, various modifications are still in service in dozens of other countries. Over the years, it has seen widespread use, particularly as a light anti-aircraft gun and as a weapon for armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. Its large caliber and long range make it effective against a variety of other targets, including lightly armored vehicles and small vessels. Over the years, this machine gun has been mounted on various ships and also used from land-based mounts.
A KPV machine gun on a single-barrel ground mount, also known as the ZPU-1, which US forces captured in Iraq in 2003.
A KPV machine gun in a single naval mount on a Russian Navy ship. This configuration is also known as the MTPU.
There's another gun in the port on the ship's port side, but it's not visible enough to be identified. Also visible in this photograph is one of the ship's 30mm Kan-Kon anti-aircraft gun systems, as well as multiple launchers that can be used to launch various defensive weapons, including flares, chaff, and other countermeasures.
Previous images of the Kang Kong and the first-in-class Choi Hyun also show them equipped with the Russian-made Pantsir-ME anti-aircraft missile and gun system or a clone of it.
A very good shot showing a lot of weapons against the backdrop of North Korean officials, including the Pantsir-ME in the upper right corner.
Another good angle of the destroyer
Additionally, the destroyers carry several vertical launch tubes of varying sizes. The total number of cells was initially 74, but after further modernization, this number was reduced to 54.
Here the Koreans have done a very good job of making their destroyers as efficient as possible in all respects.
First, the bulky and currently ineffective AK-630 artillery mounts were removed and replaced with the Pantsir-ME, thus solving the problem of short-range defense. Naturally, the Pantsir-ME air defense system will be much more effective than the previous one. artillery AK-630.
The installation of the Pantsir missile system eliminated the need for small launch cells (recall that these ships carried four types of vertical launch cells), and the 32 small cells that housed the Redut (S-300) air defense missiles were converted into 12 large cells housing Hwasal-2 anti-ship missiles, bringing the ship's total number of anti-ship missiles to 32 (24 in the bow and 8 in the stern). The Redut's medium-range anti-aircraft missiles (up to 150 km) remained in the 12 medium-sized cells, while the 10 extra-large cells house Pongae-5 or Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles.
Views of the bow and stern passive launch cells
Thus, despite the fact that the number of cells has decreased from 74 to 54, the overall balance of the ship's weapons has not worsened at all.
But we are primarily talking about machine guns...
Another close-up showing the unknown port gun on the Kan Kon's hull (bottom left), as well as one of its 30mm anti-aircraft gun systems.
The machine gun array on the Kang Kong looks almost comical, especially considering the same number of machine guns are mounted on the opposite side of the ship. However, for some reason, it doesn't make you want to laugh; it makes you want to give a standing ovation, as the Korean destroyer presents a very difficult target for both drones both marine and aerial drones.
There is a growing need for additional small-caliber weapons on ships, particularly to provide additional close-in defense at sea and in port against aerial drones and unmanned boats. These are real threats to warships, which have now become firmly entrenched in the public consciousness thanks to the war between Russia and Ukraine and the standoff between NATO and various Middle Eastern powers.
Incidentally, it's worth remembering how defenseless NATO warships proved to be, especially against floating artifacts that weren't assembled in factory conditions. As the saying goes, NATO sailors took the high price, shooting down and sinking very cheap wares with very expensive missiles.
For many years, the Russian Navy has been installing additional machine guns, including remotely controlled ones, on surface ships, as well as screens to protect against kamikaze drones. Admittedly, this has been with mixed success, as quantity has been crucial. As experience has shown, a pair of MTPUs on board a corvette could not create the necessary density of fire to guarantee a barrier against unmanned kamikaze boats.
If anyone still has questions about the actual combat capability of both Choi Hyon-class warships, as well as their versatility, there's some confidence that the ships will prove capable. And while the series is small—just four destroyers—it's worth remembering that North Korea isn't a huge country with extensive maritime borders, so four attack ships armed with ballistic or cruise missiles is a significant undertaking.
The fact that the Kang Kong was damaged during launching is a minor detail. Videos circulating on Korean channels clearly show the ship moving under its own power, meaning repairs have been completed. And it's unlikely anyone would dare show Kim Jong-un such a "fake." Comrade Kim is quick to punish and would certainly assess such a matter accordingly.
Kang Kong at the Chongjin shipyard on May 23, 2025.
A satellite image showing the Kang Kon in dry dock in Rajin on June 12, 2025.
A screenshot from the official video from last week's demonstration, showing the Kang Kon in action.
Overall, the demonstration was a success, as can be seen from the satisfied expression of the DPRK's leader, but questions still remain.
For example, what is the main function of this ship?
Yes, these destroyers can serve as platforms for launching long-range strike missiles; that's undeniable and beyond criticism. But, besides launching ballistic missiles, what else do they have? Their primary role as an air defense weapon is highly questionable. The issue isn't the sheer number of missiles; it requires a holistic approach. The first ship was equipped with AESA radar antennas. The second has conventional slotted ones. The reason for this remains to be seen.
And even though Korean destroyers may possess enhanced capabilities compared to what the country already possesses, in the event of war, they will be the first targets for destruction. Even if more than four such ships are built, they will be quickly detected and sunk in the initial stages of a conflict. US actions against Iran in the recent past have clearly demonstrated this.
This is especially relevant given that Choi Hyon-class destroyers can carry long-range nuclear-tipped weapons. However, they may or may not have enough time to launch their long-range missiles before they are destroyed. As experience has shown, a missile strike can be lightning-fast and deadly.
Another question is: will there be a war at all? And what kind of war, if any?
But the fact is that the Korean Choe Hyon-class destroyers have a better chance of repelling attacks and attacks from modern unmanned weapons than any other destroyer in the world. The combination of old weapons and new technologies is highly significant, given the changes in modern military conflicts.
It seems the Koreans have truly excelled in defending against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). And they will indeed have the ability to retaliate if necessary.
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